GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Grove City College Wolverines football team jumped out to an early lead to take a 49-7 win over the Utica College Pioneers on Saturday, Nov. 20, in the 2021 Eastern College Athletic Conference Scotty Whitelaw Bowl at Robert E. Thorn Field.

Grove City led 42-0 at halftime and scored on six of its seven first-half possessions. Utica added a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to prevent the shutout. The victory was Grove City’s second straight ECAC bowl win, having won the James Lynah Bowl in 2019.

Grove City finishes the season 8-3 overall (6-3 PAC), while Utica concludes the 2021 season 6-5 (3-3 Empire 8).

Cody Gustafson and Josh Ehst teamed up for four of Grove City’s six first-half touchdowns. Clayton Parrish’s two-yard run opened the scoring, and Ehst’s one-yard run as the first half ended bookended the dominating 42-0 halftime lead.

Four of the six first-half drives were 70-plus yards long, including a game-high 88-yard drive capped off by a 60-yard touchdown run by Gustafson. The lone Grove City drive to not end with points on the board resulted in an interception by Utica’s Jamel Smith late in the second quarter.

Scott Fraser added a touchdown on a six-yard pass from Ehst in the fourth quarter to finish the scoring for the Wolverines. Utica prevented the shutout with a Matt Brantley 16-yard reception from Brandon Belott midway through the final frame.

Gustafson ended the game with 13 receptions for four touchdowns and 232 receiving yards, one of two Wolverines with 100-plus receiving yards on the day. Fraser had the one touchdown and posted 149 receiving yards on eight receptions.

Ehst was 22-for-29 with 411 yards and five touchdowns. Parrish led the Wolverines in rushing with 117 yards on 22 carries. Zach Trusky added 107 yards on 24 carries.

James Salles led Utica with 51 rushing yards on 12 carries. Brantley had 34 receiving yards on five receptions with the one touchdown, and Nate Palmer added 35 receiving yards on three receptions.

Parker Kilgore led Grove City with a team-high eight total tackles. Ryan Fleming had five solo tackles, including three sacks for a loss of 15 yards and two forced fumbles.

Kwasi Addo led the Pioneers defensively with 21 total tackles, including one forced fumble. Devin Bryant added ten total tackles for Utica.

The Wolverines posted 629 yards of total offense while holding the Pioneers to just 127. Grove City outrushed Utica 281-48 and threw for 411 yards, while the Pioneers had 79 total passing yards.

Grove City went 9-for-12 on third-down conversions, and the Wolverines’ defense held Utica to just one third-down conversion in 12 attempts.